Oak coupling



4 Sheets-Sheet 1. Q J HOKE GAR COUPLING.

(No Model.)

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Q.J.HOKE. GAR COUPLING.

Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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4 Sheets-Sheet, 3

(No Model.) J. HOKE.

GAR COUPLING. No. 425,509. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErc QUINTON JEROME HOKE, OF YORKVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND PAUL R. BRATTON, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,509, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed February 12, i890. Serial No. 340,126. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, QUINTON JEROME HOKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yorlc ville,in the county of York and State of South Carolina, haveinvented certain new and usef ul Improvements in CarCouplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and. in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view showing two couplers embodying my invention in the act of coupling on a straight track. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the couplers in the act of coupling on a curve. Figs. 3 andet are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, showing the couplers in engagement. Fig. 5 is afront elevation of one of the couplers, and Fig. 6 a side elevation showing the coupling hook locked against rotation. Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the coupling-hook. Sis a side elevation of the draw-head, the couplinghook being removed; and Figs. 9 and 10 are horizontal sections of Figs. 3 and 4, respectively.

The invention relates to that class of couplers known as hookcouplers and has for its object to so construct the draw-head and hook as that two couplers will automatically couple either on a straight track or on a curve of any radius now considered practicable.

The invention has for its further object to provide means for uncoupling either from the side or from the top of a car, and also to so construct the coupler as to take the strain off the hook-pivot.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction of the drawhead and couplinghook and in their co-operation, and in combination therewith of a locking device for the coupling-hook, as will now be fully described.

In the drawings, A indicates the draw-head, that is constructed with a straight jaw a, provided with perforated ears 0. for the pivot pin 1) of the coupling-hook B. The jaw a and ears 0, are so constructed as to form a recess A for the reception of the shank of the coupling-hook B, the front face of the wall of the recess being inclined in opposite directions,

which en gages the heel of the coupling-hook B. A

At its rear end the draw-head is provided with a laterally-extending arm A to which is f ulcru med a locking dog or hook A that projects in a direction at right angles to the said arm or extension A said locking dog or hook A being provided with a heel a to hold the same in a substantially horizontal position, the front face (t of said dog being rounded for purposes presently explained.

A is the outwardly-curved jaw of the drawhead and serves to guide the hook of an adjacent coupler in coupling.

The coupling-hook B, pivoted to the ears of the jaw a by means of the pivot-pin b has a hook portion l3, perforated at b for the reception of the usual link-pin to adapt the coupler for coupling with a link-coupler, the hook being recessed, as at 11 for the recep tion of the link. The front face of the shank B of the hook B has an inclined bearing-surface b that seats upon or bears against the inclined bearing-face a when the hook is in its normal position, and the said shank is providedwith a heel I), that enters the deeper portion of the recess A, and is locked by the shoulder a hereinbefore referred to. From the rear end of the shank B projects an arm B adapted to be engaged by the locking dog or hook A as the couplingdlook swings back into position for coupling, thus locking the hook against motion on its pivot.

By providing the draw-head with a locking shoulder a and the shank of the couplinghook with a heel b", that interlocks with the said shoulder, the strain is entirely removed from the pivot-pin Z), whether such strain is in a straight line or at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. It will also be observed that when the hooks B are once coupled they cannot uncouple so long as there is a strain on the hooks to hold the heels 3) thereof in engagement with their lockingshoulders a whether the locking dogs or hooks A are in engagement with the arms B of the coupling-hooks 13 or not.

ICO

Inasmuch as the entire front surface of the coupling-hooks B bears against a corresponding face in the draw-head, a breakage of the hook from shock or otherwise is almost impossible, thus forming a solid, simple, and efficient coupler.

In uncoupling the locking dog or hook A may be lifted out of engagement with the arm B of the coupling-hook in any suitable manner. A cord or chain may, for instance, run over a suitable guide-pulley p on the platform-guard to the side of the car, or such a cord may be run to the top of a car, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, so that the uncoupling may be effected either from the side or from the top of a car, according as the coupler is used on passenger or freight cars.

In uncoupling, when the locking-dog A is disengaged from the arm B of the couplinghook B, a pull forward upon the arm 13 of said coupling-hook B will throw the hook portion B inward between the lugs or ears to on the draw-head to allow the hook on the adjacent car to pass freely out from between the jaws a and A at the same time throwing the arm B forward out of reach of the looking dog or book A that when disengaged from the said arm falls back into its normal approximately horizontal position.

In coupling the jaw A of the draw-head of the approaching coupler. strikes the shank of the coupling-hook about at the point of junction of said shank and its arm B which is a curvilinear surface, thereby forcing the hook portion B outwardly and the arm B rearwardly, the said arm B striking the curved under face of the locking dog or hook A lifting the same so as to engage and lock the arm and coupling-hook.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hook-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head provided with a lateral extension and a locking dog or hook A pivoted to said extension, ofa coupling-hook pivoted in said draw-head and provided with a laterallyprojecting. arm adapted to be engaged ling-hook pivoted in said draw-head and having a shank provided with a heel b adapted to engage the shoulder a substantially as and for the purposes specified. I

3. In a hook-coupler, the combination, with the draw-head provided with a recess in one of its outer lateral faces to form a lockingshoulder a and with an extension projecting laterally from the rear end of said recessed portion, and a locking dog or hook pivoted to said draw-head so as to lie in substantially a horizontal plane at right angles to said extension, of a coupling-hook whose shank is provided with a heel adapted to engage the locking-shoulder a and with. an arm B substantially at right angles to the heel end of the hook-shank, adapted to be engaged by the locking dog or hook, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

i. In a hook-coupler, the combination, with a draw-head A, provided with the jaws to A said jaw at having bearing lugs or cars a, the bearing-face a locking-shoulder a and lateral extension A and the locking dog or hook A pivoted to said extension, as described, of the coupling-hook B, pivoted between the lugs or ears-a the shank of said hook having thev bearing-face b heel b, and the laterally-projecting arm B said parts being constructed and arranged for co-operation substantially as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

QUINTON JEROME HOKE."

W'itnesses:

J. FRANK HART, GEO. W. S. HART. 

